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Thursday, March 21, 2013

RootsTech 2013 Day One, Introduction

Well, I just might get a few minutes to write in between talking to people and maybe, making it to some classes. I had a delightful time meeting some of the FamilySearch Research Wiki contributors at a breakfast meeting at the Family History Library. It was very important to me to finally put faces with some of the people I have been working with for years. I am extremely grateful for all the work they have put into this marvelous project called the Research Wiki.

3.2 billion names now online. This is the banner headline. As Dennis Brimhall explains, these are really 3.2 billion stories waiting to be told. His review of the history of the record acquisition is concise and well presented. His emphasis is what will FamilySearch look like in the future? The first goal is to expand the interest in family history and attract more people.

His question: What will our great-great-grandchildren wish we would have done? That is a thought provoking question. He says, we need to make sure everybody has a right to exist. This is likely a topic for a blog post. He says that 40% of the people born on the earth today will have no record made of their lives at all. We need to know about the stories that might be lost today.

I hope you have had the opportunity to hear and see this on the Internet, if not, look for the posting of these presentations as webcasts in the near future. You will want to hear Dennis Brimhall's story. Remember to record and tell the story and tell and document the stories happening right now.

Be sure and check some of the other Bloggers' posts. There is way too much for any one person to comprehend. Preserve and Store and Share Our Story. That should be our theme as genealogists, bloggers and family historians.

The companion speaker with Dennis Brimhall is Syd Lieberman, a master storyteller. You need to see this.